Question

C'est or Il est??

____est japonais. ____est etudiante. ____est un personne calme et sociable.

I don't know when to use which...can anybody explain? thanks.

Similar question...a or est?

Elle ____ un ami sympathique.

Answer 1

I do not know much French and shall await SraJMcGin with the definitive answer.

In the meantime, let me suggest this web site with rules for making the selection:
http://www.languageguide.org/francais/grammar/pronouns/cest_vs_il.html

Use C'est for the first one

Answer 2

Thank you for using the Jiskha Homework Help Forum. Let's look at your first question first! It doesn't seem to be a big difference between C'est and Il est. Here is as easy as I can make it:

Before a modified noun: C'est
C'est un garçon intelligent. = He is an intelligent boy.
Ce sont mes cousins. = They are my cousins.

BUT unmodified: Il est
Il est professeur. = He is a teacher.

In addition, other uses of C'est (ce / c' = it, he, she, this, that, they, these, those - used only with the verb être. Then "Ce" replaces "il, elle, ils, and elles" with the modified noun. (see above)

Before a proper noun. = C'est
Qui frappe? C'est André. = Who is knocking? It is Andres.
Quelle est cette ville? C'est Paris. = What (Which) city is that? That is Paris.

Before a pronoun: C'est
Qui parle? C'est moi. = Who is speaking? It is I (I'm the one).
C'est celui de mon père. = It is my father's.
Ce sont les miens. = They (These, Those) are mine.

Before a superlative: C'est
C'est le meilleur du monde. = It is the best in the world.
C'est le plus beau de la classe. = He is the most handsome in the class.

Hopefully that will clarify it for you.

Mme

Answer 3

Ijust read drwls' response and that website is excellent. You won't even need my response!

Mme